Tech wrap: Apple hits new app download milestone

Apple customers sure like their apps. More than 15 billion applications have been downloaded from the App Store by iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch users since its launch in July 2008, according to new figures from the company.

To put that number in context, remember it was just this past January when Apple announced its 10 billionth app download. That means customers have downloaded around 5 billion apps this year alone, compared to the 2-1/2 years it took to reach the 10 billion mark. Apple can thank its wildly popular iPad for the surge in demand. Of the more than 425,000 apps now available from the App Store, 100, 000 are designed specifically for the tablet computer.

Meanwhile, Apple’s attempt to stop online retailer Amazon.com from using the “App Store” name has failed. Apple filed a trademark lawsuit saying Amazon improperly used the name to solicit developers in the U.S. Amazon responded by saying the term is generic. The U.S. judge who denied Apple’s request argued that while the term wasn’t purely generic, the company failed to prove “a likelihood of confusion” with Amazon’s service.

Amazon finally lived up to its promise that New York Times Kindle subscribers would have free access to NYTimes.com, nearly three months after originally announcing the promotion. Subscribers using the Barnes and Noble’s Nook e-reader aren’t so lucky yet, though. As mocoNews.net notes, the company’s website still tells readers it can expect access “soon” and “in the coming weeks”.

YouTube gave users a peep at a new design for its website on Thursday. TechCrunch praised the video portal’s revamp, codenamed “Cosmic Panda”, calling it slick and dramatic. Test it out for yourself.